Ambigrams by nagfa

Hi! Welcome to Nagfa's AmbigramBlog, where the art of ambigrams intertwines with life. The ambigrams are archived, so do take your time to surf through our pseudo-gallery.
For comments, enquiries, requests or business ventures, email to: nagfa_ambigram@hotmail.com

Monday, January 29, 2007

*Announcement: nagfa apologizes for the delay in the posting of NAC December 2006 theme. The recent earthquake in Taiwan has disrupted internet connections around this region. nagfa will post the submitted entries - and also the challenge for NAC January 2007 soon... Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

WARNING: The following paragraph may cause a sudden acceleration of the heartbeat and quicker blood-flow in the veins.. Please proceed reading with utmost caution..

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nagfa will be presenting an exclusive instalment of nagfa ambigram challenge (NAC) this February. The guest challenger who will be providing the challenge - a word this time - is one of the world's most - if not THE most - prominent and established ambigram artists known by many. Who is that person? Well, you have to wait till 3rd February 2007 when we reveal the mystery guest challenger and the word. More information then..

Saturday, January 13, 2007

ambigram: george.w.-bush

ambigram: orang-minyak

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A mythical creature from the Malay Folklores who slips under the veil of darkness, intrudes a peaceful village and rapes its peoples' dignity (somewhat similar to the Western Incubus. *The female is known as a Succubus). Attempts in capturing this elusive creature proved difficult due to its oily ('minyak') - hence slippery - body.

The popular series from US, but just a spruced-up, testosterone-pumped, masculine, and alpha-male version of soap drama Gaby (interestingly, very popular in Latin and Central America, the Philippines, Indonesia and err.. Singapore!)

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In the process of catching the whole Season 1 (Prison Break, not Gaby!) on DVD.

Call it Fate, Destiny, Kizmet or Ka, something weird happened in Singapore on 16th November 1998. POSBank (actual logo above), Singapore's favourite family-bank, merged with DBS and by the look of the logo above, it was a match made in heaven..

Friday, January 05, 2007

The first concept for ambigram designing was to highlight duality, sometimes pairings, most times opposites. Some examples of endearing, 'evergreen' opposite ambigrams include 'black-white', 'angel-devil', etc. So, to go back to the roots of ambigram designing, nagfa's own 'home-away'.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

reflection: quiksilver

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Always wanted to try something with this brand. A rotational ambigram is kind of unachievable... at least for now! Incorporated is also the brand's logo. Another quiksilver-inspired design: here and here.

Stargate SG1. The sci-fi show starring Richard Dean Anderson (richardeanderson for short, RDA for shorter). Also the same guy playing MacGyver: here..

Anecdote time: When nagfa were first going out, the now defunct Channel i used to play MacGyver every weekday at 3 p.m.(!). Due to our rabid liking to this show (*okay okay, only Nag), our dates would revolve around this show. Needless to say: the shutting down of Channel i is a bitter sweet moment.

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Do also check out this stunning finger-licking good sound of the MacGyver theme played on the piano: here.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

nagfa's Ambigram Challenge January 2007

As the trashmen clear the discarded ticker tapes, confettis, beer cans and other paraphernalias from the city street parties, and more unused resolutions and broken beer bottles - and promises - got swept under the lush red carpets, another hangover looms over 2007 even before the sun sets in for the first time in the new year.

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Here we are, nagfa, still hoping to churn out more ambigrams and such throughout the new year, for your viewing pleasure..

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NAC in 2007 - starting with this month's - is a revamped version of the old one. Still with the philosophy of 'unity and harmony through ambigram art', we seek to focus on only one category for the new NAC.

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This month's phrase: 'country living'

* During our window shopping sessions for new furniture, we've come across an assortment of home living styles, from the spartan zen to the kaleidoscopick explosions of the retro 70s. In this part of the world, the Bali-inspired home decor is still a popular - albeit cookie cutter - choice. One type of decor that caught our attention is the country-inspired furniture: the lush solid wood with stunning grains. After so much input, the best (read: diplomatic) 'solution' is: eclectic. We hope this month's challenge could inspire designs which capture the spirit of country living...

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Note: As a new guideline to encourage the quality of the submitted designs, each designer is only allowed to submit ONE design.

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Please submit design to: nagfa_ambigram@hotmail.com before the 22nd of the month. Please also include your name (pseudonyms allowed), country of origin, and links (if any).

.To Fadilah, who hears the voices in my head.She’s the missing shoe when I’ve got two left feetNow we’re complete,And dancing to the beatOoh.. Cinderella .She’s the strawberry morning, glass of sunbeamRelive my sweet dreamOf Cookies and CreamOoh.. and vanilla .She’s the gloaming skies reveil the ball of fireShaped a stoned sapphireReveal newildesireOoh.. in the calla .She’s the wings of the brightest shooting starsLight the heart of MarsMight the part of UsOoh.. Dinda Dila

Singapore has recently experienced her third highest rainfall since the early 1900s, and flash floods in the low-lying areas such as in Thomson have disrupted activities there. Resilient Singaporeans will do okay!

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Wishing for a summer holiday(By Sir Cliff Richard). *one of nag's favourite all time artistes.

Monday, January 01, 2007

reflection: black.sabbath

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Love the spray paint shadow effect. The black metal band.. yeah. Not interested in THAT, more in the word 'sabbath': generally used to mean 'a day in the week set aside for worship and observance of religious duties'. More interestingly, its context in the 'sky religions': Judaism, Christianity and Islam. (*Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism etc. are known as the 'terrestrial religions' as they are more human-made set of philosophies than 'divine preachings'.)

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Notice how the world's stock exchange revolves around Judaism's Sabbath on Saturdays, and virtually all schhol and work schedule follows the Christian Sabbath on Sundays. The Muslim's Sabbath, by the way, is on Fridays when they go to mosques for sermon (mass) and prayers.

Malay for 'communication'. ("Sad, another loan word in the Malay Kamus(dictionary)," sighed the language purists..)

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One of the most - if not THE most - essential tenet of marriage. Much-discussed on during nagfa's 'Kursus Persiapan Rumahtangga' ('Marriage Preparation Course'), an obligatory course for soon-to-be Muslim couples in Singapore.

Two concept pieces using reflection and letters to form a contextual picture. Thus the letters 'b', 'e' & 'd' form an image of a bed; and the letters in 'table-chair' form an image of two chairs flanking a table.